221C Baker Street
by differentthingsatonce
Summary: This is a fan fic about a girl who goes to London to intern. She stays in 221c, and learns more and more about sherlock and john everyday. Let me know if you guys like it so i know if i should keep posting new chapters! thanks xx
1. A New Place

A New Place

"221C Baker Street, please." I said as I climbed into the backseat of a cab with my luggage. The taxi driver nodded, pulled out of the Heathrow airport, and into a busy street.

"So what brings you here?" The driver asked, as he drove down a winding road.

"I'm interning." I answered, as I looked up at all the old buildings that surrounded the streets.

"Oh really? Where at?"

"I actually don't know yet. I can either find an internship on my own, or I can get help at a job agency. But I'm hoping my land lady can help me." I said.

"Ah, I see. Well, I wish you all the luck in the world miss." He said as he drove the taxi to the side of the road. " And here's your final destination; 221C Baker street. And It'll be 15 pounds, miss." I handed him the money, and he quickly helped carry my luggage to the doorstep. I thanked him, and hesitantly went up to the doorstep. This was it, my new home. As I reached my hand out to ring the doorbell, the door flew open, and a tall, dark haired man stood in front of me. His blue-green eyes looked me over quickly before he hurriedly brushed past me. A shorter gentleman came rushing out of the door behind him.

"Sherlock!" He screamed. "hold on a moment for god's sake!" He noticed me, and stopped abruptly. "Oh, hello miss! You must be the new tenant. Mrs. Hudson is the landlady. You'll find her on the door to the right." He said, and he outstretched a hand to me.

"Thank you." I said, giving him a smile.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to catch up to my friend. And I apologize for his behavior. He comes off a bit rude. My name is John by the way. John Watson." And with that, John set off at a brisk walk to find his friend.

"Huh. That was odd." I said under my breath. I quickly grabbed my luggage, and brought everything inside. I walked up to the door John had told me to go to, and I knocked.

"Sherlock! I told you that I will not clean up your mess!" I heard a voice holler from inside. The door unlocked, and a stout woman stood in front of me. "Oh! Hello dear! I forgot you were coming today. Come on, let's get you settled in." She led me to my apartment, and helped bring my bags in. Mrs. Hudson started running around the apartment, showing me where everything was. "Ok, sheets, pillows, and blankets are in the cabinet. There's also towels there, and I put some of my dishes in your cupboards for you to use. I hope you find it to your liking, dear." She said as she rearranged some cushions on the sofa.

"Thank you, so much Mrs. Hudson. This is amazing!" I said as I began making my bed.

"Of course dear! But there is one little detail you should know. There is no shower in your apartment. But you are always free to use mine, or the one upstairs that belongs to the two gentleman, John and Sherlock."

"Oh, I think I met them when I came in."

"Delightful! They are an interesting duo. I hope you will all get along. Well, you should rest up. I'll make you some tea, and we can see about your internship. I have some people that are already interested in you!" She said as she made her way out. I smiled as she left, and I sat down on the sofa, and let out a sigh of relief. Everything was going good.


	2. Falling Into Place

Falling Into Place

I woke up to the heavy rain beading against my window. I fumbled to find the light switch on my lamp, and I rubbed sleep out of my eyes. I glanced at my clock, which read 1:37 am. I wasn't used to the time change yet. I slowly got out of bed, and walked over to my kitchen. I found a cup, and made myself some tea before I sat down on my sofa, and listened to the rain. As I relaxed, I heard a noise from upstairs, and then a gunshot sounded from somewhere outside. I put down my cup and quickly ran to the door. I went into the hallway and collided with John.

"Oh, sorry!" I said, as he collected himself.

"It's no problem. What are you doing up?" He asked.

"Jet lag. And also, I heard a gunshot."

"Yea, I heard it too. I was just about to check it out. Stay here." He said, and he slowly went out the front door. I paced in front of the stairs until John came back inside. His face was grim when he entered.

"What is it?" I asked. "Is someone hurt?"

"Uh, no. Someone is dead. I called the police, but I think Sherlock should come see. I'll go get him." He said. I began walking towards the front door to look, but John called from the stairs. "I don't suggest you look, miss. It's quite gruesome." He gave me a small smile, and made his way to the door. Not a moment later, the tall, dark haired man came running down the stairs. Brushing right passed me, he flung the front door open, and disappeared into the rain. John came up next me as he put a coat on.

"You'll get used to him eventually. He likes to be dramatic." He said. I started to laugh, but I immediately stopped when Sherlock came back inside.

"John? Are you coming? I want to have a good look before Anderson gets here." He said quickly. He ducked back outside as John made his way to the door.

"Oh, how rude of me. I never got your name miss." John said, and he turned around to face me again. "What is your name?"

"My name is Emily Minnick." I said shyly. John took my hand and brought it to his lips.

"It's a pleasure to meet you miss Emily." He smiled, and went for the door. I went back inside my room, and heard police sirens later on. I tried to relax, but so much had happened. I hoped that the death was just a fluke. My aunt wouldn't be too happy about me living in a bad area, and I was starting to get nervous about it.

There was a knock on my door an hour later, and I pulled it open to find John.

"Hello Emily." He said warmly. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok with all that happened this morning. I know it's a scary situation, but im here to tell you that you'll be safe here. There's nothing to worry about. This is the first time something has happened this close to our home, and the police are already onto the culprit."

"Oh that's great. And thank you for checking on me. I am a little scared, but it makes me feel better that this is usually a quiet area. I'll get used to it." I said. "What happened to the person that was shot?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer. John looked at me for a moment before answering.

"Well, he was shot in the heart, and letters were carved on his body. No one could make out what they said in the rain, so the body was taken to the hospital to investigate. But they'll figure it out, they have Sherlock." He said as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Oh! So is Sherlock a detective or something?" I asked, finally figuring it out. John smiled at me.

"Yes, yes he is. And a very good one."

"And what do you do?"

"I used to be a doctor during the war, so Sherlock and I kind of work as a team to solve crimes, and figure out how a person died."

"That's amazing!" I exclaimed. "Can you tell me about one of your cases?"

"I can tell you about all of them. Would you like to have tea upstairs? I have a variety of flavors."

"Absolutely! " I said. He smiled and led me up to his apartment. He opened the door, but quickly shut it, and turned to me.

"Please excuse the mess. I try to keep it clean, but Sherlock can get unorganized when he's working on a case."

I nodded and he proceeded to open the door. It led straight to the living room, which had a chair, a sofa, a small TV, and a yellow smiley on the wall. John went into the kitchen, and cleared off the table, which had microscopes, and mysterious jars on top. When he was done, he pulled out a chair for me to sit at.

"So, Emily. What type of tea would you like?" John asked as he set down a tea cup and saucer for me.

"Do you have Peppermint Tea?"

"Hmm, let me check."

He began rummaging through the tea shelf and found one lying in the back.

"Here we go! You're in luck. Looks like it's the last one."

John boiled water, and poured my cup. He sat down next to me and began telling me some of the cases he and Sherlock worked on. He left out the bloody parts for my sake, but I pressed him until he let out more detail. As he talked, I began to become more interested in the detective work they did, and I asked the question that was nagging at the back of my mind.

"So John, do you think I could intern for you?" I asked, once he was done with the last case he told me about. John looked at me and let out a sigh.

"Emily, I would love to have you intern for Sherlock and I, but I just think it's too dangerous. You could get hurt, or even killed. Sherlock and I put our lives on the line all the time, and I don't want you to have to take that risk."

"Well, what if I worked from here? I could take cases, and tell you and Sherlock about them. Or I could contact media. I wouldn't be putting myself in danger." I said, hoping he'd give in.

"Emily, anyone who's connected to Sherlock, or myself, is in danger. People have ways of finding out what they want to know. They could track you down easily."

"Please John, I promise I'll make myself useful." I pleaded. John let out another sigh as he considered. Finally he nodded.

"I'll tell you what, I'll let you intern for me as my personal assistant. You'll take my personal phone calls, help with paper work, and watch the apartment while Sherlock and I are out. But you will not come with us to investigate."

"Yes! Thank you so much! I owe you." I said, as I jumped out of my chair and gave him a hug. I quickly pulled away, and blushed. "Sorry." I blurted. John laughed, and stood up. He walked into the other room, and came back with a phone, and a stack of papers.

"Alright Miss Emily. This is Sherlock's old phone. It has my phone number in it, and the numbers of a few police officers. If there's ever a problem, don't hesitate to call them." He handed me the phone, and then pulled the papers in front of me. " Now for your first job. These need to be sorted by time and date. It shouldn't take you too long. Take your time." He said as he handed me a stapler, and a file folder. I got to work immediately while John told me about more cases.

About and hour into my new intern job, the front door of the apartment flew open. Sherlock came walking in, and went to the kitchen. He began taking jars out of the fridge, and placing them on the table. He pushed my papers off to the side, and placed a microscope in front of me. I looked at him with astonishment. He acted as though I wasn't there. I shot a glance at John, and he cleared his throat.

"Sherlock." He said, "This is my new intern, Miss Emily. She's also Mrs. Hudson's new tenant. She'll be spending some time with us while she's here." John said, as he moved out of Sherlock's way.

"John, where'd you put the test tube I had on the third shelf?" Sherlock asked as he went through the fridge. John sighed.

"Sherlock, my new intern-"

"Not now John, this case is almost done. I've just got to find that test- Oh! Found it!" Sherlock exclaimed as he put it under the microscope. "Yes, yes! I was right. Ms. Turner walked out the back door before she came back through the house. Which is why there's traces of her flowers on her slippers. She then disposed of Rory's body, and made it look like Rory's ex did it. John, text Lestrade and tell him the case is sol-" Sherlock abruptly stopped, and turned to me. "Who are you exactly?" He asked as I rearranged my papers.

"My name is Emily M-"

"Minnick. Yes, I know. But what are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm –"

"Yes, yes, interning for John. But why?" Sherlock strode over to John, and looked at him. "Why?" he asked again.

"She was looking for an Internship, and she's interested in what we do, so I figured I would let her intern for me. She's a very nice girl, Sherlock." John said, as he shot me an apologetic look. John shifted uncomfortably as Sherlock looked over me.

"Fine." He said finally. "She can stay." He took his phone, and walked into a room off to the side. I let out a sigh of relief when he left.

"Well, I'm glad he likes me." I said sarcastically as I picked up my new phone, and gathered my papers. John went in front of me and stopped me.

"Listen, he'll warm up to you. It's hard to get used to him. Don't take what he says to heart, and If he ever says anything to upset you, tell him. He doesn't know when he offends people."

"Alright, thanks for the warning. And thank you for everything John. I appreciate what you've done for me. I'll have these papers done soon."

"Anytime Miss Emily. I'll come by later for the papers." He smiled at me as he held open the door. He waited until I opened my door before he shut his own. I closed my door behind me, and smiled. Everything was going perfect. I began working on the papers again, not wanting to disappoint my new boss.


	3. Hard Work

Hard Work

I worked on the papers throughout the rest of the day, and by the time John knocked on my door to collect them, I had them all sorted.

"Good evening Emily!" He said when I opened the door.

"Good evening. Here's your papers. Sorted by time and date." I said, handing him the stack.

"Great! Thank you. Do you mind if I come in for a minute?" he asked, as he tucked the papers under his arm.

"Sure, come in."

He came in and sat down at my table.

"So, Emily. I have another task for you, but this one is much bigger." He said as he shifted in the chair.

"I'll do it." I said, prepared for anything he was going to throw at me.

"I want you to work on a case."

"What?!" I asked, baffled. "But you said you didn't want me to help with cases."

"I know, I know, but you seem so interested in detective work. And I could really use your help on this one. Sherlock won't take it because he doesn't think it's worth his time, so I need someone to work on it with me." He said looking at me thoughtfully.

"Well, of course I'll do it! What's the case about?" I said excitedly.

"That's just it. I don't really know."

"What do you mean?"

"There's been a dozen deaths over this past month, but not one suspect has been found for any of them. The police think that they aren't related since the bodies are found in different towns, but I beg to differ. On all of the bodies, there was a piece of paper found somewhere on them. It says nothing. It's blank. But I think it could lead to the killer. But neither the police, nor Sherlock will listen to my reason."

"Wow. Well, I'll try to help you out. What can I do?"

"You can start by seeing if there's any connection to a blank piece of paper. Maybe there's some myth with it, or possibly other serial killers have used it in the past."

"Ok." I said as I pulled my lab top out. "I'll get right on it."

"In the meantime, I'll be upstairs. If you find anything, just knock." He smiled, and left back upstairs.

I searched for hours, but I couldn't find anything that added up to the murders. I reluctantly shut my lab top, and went up the stairs to tell John I hadn't found anything important. I went to knock on the door, and John immediately opened it.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing. I have no idea what it could mean."

"Hm, well, I found a few people that could lead us to the suspect. I was thinking that we could split up tomorrow, and interview them. We can see if they know anything."

John handed me twelve photos of the people we were to interview the following day.

"Pick six of these people to interview. Look up some background information on them before hand to see if any of them have had any felonies. I'll take the ones you don't want." He said, as I searched through the papers. I decided on an old lady, a young man about my age, two middle aged women, and two older men to interview. I started my research on John's computer immediately, and wrote down all my notes for each person. Shortly later, Sherlock came inside the apartment. I was waiting for him to act like I wasn't there, or shove my papers off the counter, but he didn't. I turned to face him to see why he wasn't saying anything. He stood with his back against the door, and his face was pale. His eyes flickered from me to John, but he stayed silent.

"Sherlock? What's the matter?" John asked worriedly.

"John, may I speak to you in private."

I took the hint and began grabbing my things to head for the door, but Sherlock grabbed me by my shoulders.

"You are not to leave this apartment until I say so." Sherlock said, gripping my shoulders harder. "Stay here."

Before I could say anything, he dragged John into the other room, and left me alone in the kitchen. I sighed and gingerly touched my shoulders where he gripped me. A moment later, the two men emerged. They were both pale in the face now. I looked to John for an answer, but he turned away. I sat in silence watching them for a good minute before I spoke up.

"Sherlock? Can I go back downstairs yet?" I asked, annoyed that neither of them were talking to me. I got no answer back from him, but John finally talked.

"Emily, I think it's best if you stayed up here tonight. Sherlock doesn't feel like its safe for you to be alone right now. He found some evidence that is alarming."

"Well, I feel like I should have the right to go back downstairs if I want to, whether or not if there's evidence. Now if you'll excuse me." I took the photos, and went for the door. But this time, John grabbed me. His grip on me was softer, but I still couldn't move.

"Please miss Emily. Sherlock and I know what we're doing, and we know it's best for you to stay up here for tonight. Please." John pleaded. His voice was so soothing that I had to give in. I sighed, and relaxed. John hesitantly let go of me when he felt that I stopped resisting.

"Alright. I'll stay here for the night." I said, as I walked toward the sofa. "But I would like to know what's going on."

"I promise that I'll tell you everything in the morning." John said, as he grabbed blankets and pillows from a cabinet. He draped the blanket across me, and put the pillow behind my head. He sat in the armchair opposite me, and put a blanket over himself. I heard Sherlock walking back and forth, and when I looked over the sofa, I saw that he was pacing in front of the front door.

"Really John? You two are seriously watching me all night to make sure I don't leave?"

"Emily, we are not watching you. We are keeping you safe. Please just cooperate."

I let out a very loud sigh before I turned my back to him, and buried my face into the sofa.

I tried to sleep but it was hard getting any rest when Sherlock was making so much noise. But his pacing became rhythmic, and it almost lulled me to sleep when he suddenly stopped.

"Is she asleep?"

"Let me check."

I felt his warm hand press lightly against my neck to find my pulse. I tried to slow my breathing to make it look like I was in a deep sleep. After a moment, John withdrew his hand, and pulled my blanket tighter around me.

"She's fast asleep."

"Good. Make sure she stays in here. I'm going down to her apartment."

"No Sherlock!" John said. "We don't know what we're dealing with."

"I do. I saw the letters on the body. I'll try to reason with him. He doesn't know that she's up here, and as long as you keep her inside, she'll be fine."

"What makes you think I won't keep her in?"

"Well, you let her work on a case, didn't you? She obviously has a pull over you John. Don't be stupid."

After that, I heard the door shut, and John's footsteps came back over to the sofa. He sat on the edge, and I could feel him looking at me. He pressed his fingers against my neck again, but this time my pulse was racing.

"Emily, I know you're awake." He said as he pulled his hand away. I threw the covers off of me and stood up.

"John, what the hell is going on? Why is Sherlock in my apartment, and what does any of this have to do with the man who got shot the other day?" I said, as I tried to fight back the fear that was creeping up on me.

"Emily, please calm down. It's nothing to wor-"

"Yes, It is something to worry about! What did the letters on that man's body say? What does it have to do with me?"

"I don't want to tell you yet." John said calmly.

"I have a right to know."

John remained silent, and wouldn't say anything more about it. And as much as I tried to fight it, panic rose up inside me, and I burst out in tears. I sank to the sofa, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Don't cry miss Emily. It'll all be ok. You're safe." John said as he sat down next to me. He pulled me into him, and I buried my face into his sweater. He held me like that until I fell asleep.


	4. Unsolved

Unsolved

The next morning, I woke up on John's lap. He was already awake when I abruptly sat up.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I said, as I quickly retreated to the other end of the sofa.

"It's fine. I didn't want to wake you up. Are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm fine I guess. Is Sherlock back yet?"

"I'm here." He said from behind me. I jumped, and turned around. He was standing directly behind me and his hands were resting on the sofa behind my head. His curly hair was tousled, and his shirt was slightly unbuttoned so I could just barley see his sculpted chest. If I wasn't so mad at him, I probably would have blushed.

"Oh, hi. So will you tell me what's going on please?" I asked, as I met his gaze. His blue green eyes bore down into mine, and he tilted his head at an angle and came down closer to me. My pulse quickened as his hand brushed up against mine, and he brought his lips close to my ear. I stood still as a statue as his warm breath tingled my neck. He said one single word in a low whisper against my neck, and it gave me goose bumps.

"No."

I snapped back to reality.

"No what?" I asked, forgetting what I was talking to him about.

"Exactly." Sherlock said. He withdrew from me, and walked away. I looked at John who simply shook his head.

"Sherlock, you're not being fair. You said she could go back down to her apartment in the morning. And we promised her an explanation." John said, as he started getting up.

"John, I didn't find anything. She can't go back down. And she is not to know what is going on. It could put her into danger if she knows."

"I am sitting right here, you know." I said to Sherlock. He ignored me and started pacing in front of the door again.

"I'll go down with her." John said. Sherlock considered it for a moment, but then shook his head.

"No. Absolutely not."

"But Sherlock, the girl wants to go ba-"

"I'm going with her." Sherlock said. John looked at me, and then looked at Sherlock.

"Fine."

"Uh, no. Not fine. I'm not going downstairs with him." I said, annoyed that John didn't persist more.

"Listen, Emily. You either go down to your apartment under my supervision, or you say up here the rest of the day. Your choice."

John shot Sherlock a look, but Sherlock ignored it, and opened the door. I reluctantly got up, and sulked out the door with Sherlock behind me. He walked in front of me and opened my door. He went inside and sat on my sofa, making himself at home. I glared at him and gathered some clothes and toiletries since I was sure I wouldn't be allowed back down. While I was grabbing clothes, I noticed something by my fireplace. When I got closer, I felt dread creep to every part of me. I sank to my knees in horror.

"Sh- Sherlock." I said, in barley a whisper. He came right next to me and saw what I was looking at. There was a blank piece of paper sitting in my fireplace. Next to it was a picture of the bloody corpse of the man who was shot. I could clearly see the bloody engraving in his skin. It read, "221C." I started to shudder violently, and I wanted to get out. I felt another panic attack come on, but Sherlock pressed me down onto the floor to stop my shaking.

"This is why I didn't want you down here!" He said as he tried to keep me still. "John! John get down here now!" He called. John came down immediately.

"What the hell happened? What's wrong with her?" He asked worriedly.

"Why are you asking me? You're the bloody doctor!" Sherlock said. He let go of me, and I broke into a fit of crying. I tucked my knees to my chest, and tried to stop shaking. John came up behind me and pulled me to my feet.

"C'mon. You need tea. Let's go." He said as he led me to the door. I didn't object to leaving.

When we were back upstairs, John sat me on the sofa, and he was about to make me tea, but I gripped his shirt, and pulled him down to me.

"Please don't leave." I said. I didn't want to be alone. He sat down next to me, and took my shaky hands into his own.

"I won't leave. But you need to calm down. Your heart is beating too fast, and it'll give you a heart attack." He said as he checked my pulse through my wrist. "Take deep breaths. You're safe here." He pulled me into him, and I pressed my head to his neck. He gently trailed his hand down my back to soothe me.

"John. I don't want to die." I whispered.

"Emily, you will not. Don't even think like that. In fact, I don't want you thinking about this at all."

"How can I John. Someone is trying to kill me. It's all I can think about."

John gently pulled my head up to his. He brushed a tear off my cheek, and kissed my forehead.

"How about a movie?" He said, as he reached for the remote. I nodded in agreement, and rested my head against his chest. I listened to his steady breathing, and tried to match it so I could calm down. After he found a movie, he checked my pulse again.

"Good. You're heart rate went back to normal." He said as he moved his hand away from my wrist. But I quickly grabbed his hand, and wove my fingers in between his. He didn't protest. He moved his other hand from my back to my waist, and he pulled me closer into him.

I was fast asleep when the movie was over, but I was woken up when I heard Sherlock come back in.

"How is she?" I heard him say.

"She's stable, but she was close to a heart attack." John said. I could feel his voice echo through his chest.

"Well, I warned her."

"Sherlock, do you mind sitting next to her? I need to use the bathroom, and I don't want her to go into another attack if someone isn't near her."

I head Sherlock sigh very loud, but he must have agreed. Because John started to gently undo himself from me, and laid me down on the sofa. I felt Sherlock slump down next to me.

"Keep a hand on her so she knows she's ok." John said as he walked off.

"Seriously?"

"Who's the doctor?" John said as he shut the bathroom door. Sherlock sighed and placed a reluctant hand on my shoulder. It was too awkward for me to handle, so I gently pushed his hand off, and sat up.

"It's ok Sherlock. You can go back to whatever you were doing. You don't need to watch me."

"I beg to differ miss Emily. After what happened this morning, I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone."

"Oh, Sherlock. I can taste the sarcasm." I said bitterly.

"Hmm, you catch on quickly."

"Can I ask you something?"

"No."

I gave him a look, but continued. "Why do you hate me so much?"

He paused a long time before he answered.

"I don't hate you Emily. You just bore me. But don't take it personally. Everyone bores me."

"Ok. What makes a person not boring?"

"Someone who doesn't ask stupid questions." He said sharply. I nodded and abruptly stood up. I stormed off towards the door. "Where do you think you're going?" He yelled.

"Sherlock, take your own advice. Don't ask stupid questions." And with that I left the apartment. I went downstairs, and headed out side. I heard Sherlock coming after me, but I ignored it and flagged down a taxi. I wanted to be alone for a while, and maybe the further I was from Sherlock and John, the better my chances were for living. I climbed in and told the taxi driver to take me to Hyde Park.


	5. An Old Friend

"Thank you sir." I said, handing the taxi driver money. I walked into Hyde park, and found an empty bench to sit at. There didn't seem to be anyone around, so I closed my eyes, and tilted my head back against the seat. I had a few seconds of peace until I heard rapid footsteps approaching. I opened one eye, and saw a man walking towards me. He was wearing a suit, and his short brown hair was neatly gelled back. He stopped in front of me.

"Excuse me miss. Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked.

"Sure, go ahead." I said, scooting over for him.

"Where are you from?" He asked as he sat down.

"New York. I'm here for an internship."

"Wow. What are you doing here? Alone?"

"I needed a break." I said, starting to get nervous.

"Ah, ok. That makes sense. Everyone needs a break."

There was a moment of silence between us before he spoke again.

"Would you like to walk around the park with me? The fresh air will do you good." He said as he stood up.

"Sure. Why not."

"My name is Jim, by the way." He said as he looped my hand over his arm.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Emily."

We walked around the park, mostly in silence, but sometimes he would ask me a question, which I would answer too quickly, and it would leave us in silence once more.

As we came back to where we started, Jim bent down and whispered in my ear.

"Do you happen to know a man in a black trench coat, miss?"

"uh, no I don't believe so." I said, remembering that Sherlock's was navy blue. "Why?"

"Well, there's been a man following you since you got here, that's why I came up to you. I wanted to see if he followed us around the park, and he did." Jim said, looking over his shoulder. "You should probably go. I'll get you a taxi."

I felt panic bubble in me again. I gripped Jims coat as he led me to the street. He flagged down a taxi, and opened the door for me. But I couldn't let go of him.

"Jim, please come with me. I'll give you money to go home." I said, as my hands started to shake. Jim saw my distress and nodded. He got into the taxi with me, and gently squeezed my hand.

"Where to miss?" The taxi driver said as he looked at me through the mirror.

"221 C Baker Street please." I said hurriedly.

"What did you say?" Jim asked. I turned to him and repeated my address.

"Do you happen to know a Sherlock Holmes?"

"Yes, I do. He's the one that pissed me of enough to go to the park alone." I said, remembering his harsh words.

"Yes, he tends to be excellent at that." He said as he stared out the window. "Does he happen to know about this man who's following you?"

"I think so. But he won't say anything to me about it. And neither will his friend, John."

"Yes, that's so typical of them. Do you mind if I come in with you? I'd love to reconnect with them."

"You're an old friend?"

"You could say that."

"Well, I guess. But could you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

"Will you mind telling them that I was meeting with you? So they don't yell at me for going off alone."

Jim wrapped a reassuring arm around my shoulders. "I would be delighted to tell them that."

"Thanks." I said. It let off some of my stress, but the man in the black coat was still weighing me down. Unless I was being escorted, it looked like I could never leave the apartment safely, again.


	6. Unlikely Allies

Unlikely Allies

The taxi driver pulled up to my apartment, and let us out. It started to rain, so Jim held his coat over me, and we jogged to the front door. I was about to hit the buzzer when I saw that the door was slightly ajar. I pushed it all the way open, and headed upstairs with Jim. I knocked on their door, and took a deep breath. I was preparing myself for the yelling. The door flew open and John was standing in front of us.

"Where the hell have you been?!" He yelled. "I have called every police station, and I looked everywhere for you." He paused and looked behind me. "And what the fuck are you doing with Jim Moriaty?"

"John! Please calm down! He was helping me. I could've gotten killed if he wasn't with me." I said, taking a step back into Jim.

"John. You haven't changed a bit. Still worried about every little thing. But let me assure you, I was watching her very closely. I saw a man with a black coat following us the whole time we were together, and I figured I should take her back safely. I'm not here to cause trouble this time. I want to help."

John gave Jim a dirty look, and tugged me inside the apartment.

"What do you mean you want to help? For all I know, you could be the one who wants to kill her."

"Kill her?" He laughed. "John, please. She is the last person I would ever want to kill. Now where is Sherlock? I would like to talk to him about all of this." Jim said as he stepped through the threshold.

"No, no. Stay where you are! Not a step closer."

"John, what is the problem? Jim saved my life! Let him in." I said, stepping in front of John.

"Emily, this is a dangerous man. Stay away from him."

"No. And if you won't let him in, then I'll leave again." I said, taking my stand.

"Now Emily, don't run off again." Sherlock said as he walked out of his room. "It's quite tiresome to try to run after a taxi in the middle of London. I don't want to go through that again. And John, let Jim in. He's right; if he really had an interest in killing Emily, he would have done it by now."

Jim smiled, and walked inside. He went up to Sherlock, and they stood toe to toe.

"So, my old friend. How are things?" Jim said with a grin.

"What do you want Jim?" Sherlock said sharply, watching Jim's every move. Jim stayed silent as Sherlock observed him. "You don't want to kill anyone for once… Which is quite surprising. Did you run out of ideas? Victims?"

"No, no. Of course not Sherlock. You know me. I simply wanted… a change."

Sherlock's eyes flicked from Jim to me, and a shadow came down on his face.

"Get out." Sherlock said as he spun towards the door.

Jim let out a laugh and a smile spread across his face. "There you go Sherlock! You've always been a bit slow with this."

"I said, get out."

"What does it matter to you? You obviously don't care… or do you?" Jim said, as he came next to me. He trailed his finger down my face, and gently dipped my head back.

"Let her go, Jim." John said, taking a step towards me. Jim pushed him off, and leaned into me. His arms wrapped around my waist.

"Don't you dare." Sherlock said from behind him. But Jim proceeded, and brought his lips to mine. I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. When Jim finally pulled away, Sherlock made a fist, and punched Jim square in his jaw. He went down to the floor.

"Sherlock! Why would you do that?" I screamed. I ran to Jim, and thought he was crying, but he was actually chuckling.

"I knew it." Jim said as he stood up. He was massaging his jaw as he talked.

"Shut up and leave."

"Don't be so harsh. We can share! All three of us!" Jim said, shooting a look at John. "Look, I only want to help. I saw that man in the coat, and I didn't get a good feeling. I can spot a serial killer." Jim turned to me, and took my hand. "So, my dear Emily, I offer you my protection, and aid, in keeping you safe. If you ever need anything, just ring." He passed me his card, and walked out of the apartment.


	7. A Shock To My System

A Shock to my System

After the incident with Jim, Sherlock barley spoke to me. He would give side comment on the things John would say to me, and he would occasionally glance at me from time to time, but he never started a conversation. I decided to talk to him, and try to clear some things up. John had just finished lecturing me for about the billionth time for why I should never go near Jim again, (He even took away the card Jim wrote his number on.) when I went up to Sherlock.

"Sherlock, I'm sorry I ran off. I shouldn't have, but you really know how to push buttons. I know you're trying to keep me safe, but I just didn't appreciate it enough. I'll stick to the rules from now on. I swear." I said, meaning every word of it. Sherlock didn't speak, so I started to walk away, but he gripped my wrist and I spun around to face him again.

"It's fine. But stay away from Jim. He's no good for you." He said harshly. He looked at me once more before letting go of my wrist, and returning to his work. I went back over to John, and sat in the seat furthest from him. I knew he was still mad at me, even though he didn't show it. I messed with my hands until he spoke to me.

"Emily? Would you like me to take you downstairs so you can grab some things?"

"No, no it's fine. I think I'll just go take a shower actually. But thank you." I said as I got up and grabbed clothes and a towel. It was a good excuse to get away from them.

I went into the bathroom and closed the door. I turned the water on to hot, and glanced out the bathroom window. It was raining as always. I smiled at the thought of having hot cocoa back at home, but the thought vanished after I remembered where I was. I sighed, and got into the shower. I let the water cascade over my body, and let it release any tension in my muscles. I hung my head down to let the water relax my neck, but a searing pain in my neck made me snap my head back up. I quickly turned the water cooler, and moved my head away from the nozzle. I touched the spot gingerly, and made a mental note to ask John to bandage up the burn.

I got out of the shower, and started to get dressed when a wave of vertigo hit me. I accidentally fell into the wall, but I quickly recovered, and finished dressing. I walked out of the bathroom and went to the kitchen to make tea. Sherlock was still sitting at the table, and I asked him if he wanted any tea.

"What?" He asked, giving me a funny look.

I repeated the question as I took out a cup for myself.

"Emily, I can't understand you. Are you saying tea?" He asked again.

I sighed, and nodded.

"Oh, No thank you. Stop mumbling and maybe I could understand you better" He said, and went back to his work. I rolled my eyes, and went back to my tea. While I was waiting for the water to boil, I went to sit down near Sherlock. I pulled out a chair to sit down, but I fell to the floor instead. Sherlock immediately went over to me, and helped me up.

"Are you alright?" He asked. I was about to nod, but my vision went funny. I leaned into him for support, as another wave of vertigo hit me. I clutched his shirt as the room twirled, and I eventually gained control again. I let go of him, and leaned against the table.

"Yea, I'm fine." I said, smiling at him. He looked worried. He pulled me against him and called John over.

"John, she's slurring her words, and she fell. I think her depth perception is off."

"Emily? What's wrong? Do you have any pain anywhere?" John asked.

I remembered the burn on my neck, and pointed to it clumsily. John held my hair up, and cursed.

"What? What is it John?" Sherlock asked, concerned.

"She's been poisoned."


	8. Delirium

Delirium

"John! John!" I screamed.

"I'm right here Emily." He said, pressing a cold cloth to my forehead.

"Oh John, I must tell you, you looked quite nice at the wedding. I wish I could have been there myself. I heard it was a riot." I said, as John brought water to my lips. I pursed them instead.

"Kiss me John!" I said, reaching up to him. He placed a strong hand on my shoulder, and pressed me down.

"Drink, Emily."

"Fine. But I'm expecting a kiss." I said, leaning up to take the water. John pulled a box from the table and took a pill from it.

"Take this, it'll make you feel better." He said, handing me he pill.

"But John, I feel perfe-" A sudden wave came over me, and the room started to spin. "John, you look funny." I said as I started to laugh.

"Emily, please take it." He said, his voice gentle. I took it, and swallowed it.

"There. Happy?" I asked, laying my head back down. He gave me a sad smile and caressed my cheek.

"No, I'm not happy Emily. Please fight this poison. I want you to get better." He said as he pressed the washcloth to my forehead again. I was about to say more to him, but my eyes started to flicker, and I was out.

I woke up in a haze a few hours later. I had a horrible headache, and It hurt to move. The door cracked open and Sherlock stood in the doorway. I saw a dim outline of John by my bed, but It stung to keep my eyes open, and I shut them.

"John." Sherlock said in his deep voice. "Let me watch her. You've been up too long."

"No. I'm the doctor, Sherlock."

"Yes, but what good will you be half awake? Just take a nap. I'll wake you up if I can't handle it."

I heard John sigh and get up. He pressed his hand to my forehead to check my fever.

"Fine, but keep her fever down. I don't like how hot it is. And give her water if she wakes up."

"Alright. I've got it."

I heard John's footsteps leave the room, and I felt Sherlock's presence next to me as he sat down. He pressed the cold washcloth to my head, and I let out a gasp at how nice it felt. He thought I was still sleeping though, and continued pressing it to my head.

After feeling the cool of the cloth, I became aware of the rest of my body heating up. I violently kicked the blankets off of me and sat up. Sherlock stood up and leaned over me.

"Emily, are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm just really hot." I said, as I tried to sit up. Sherlock immediately wrapped an arm around me to support me.

"Lean back, I've got you."

"Thanks. What happened to me?" I asked, trying to remember.

"You were poisoned. It was lethal, and could have killed you. In fact, it's still not completely out of your system. John and I need to watch you until the side effects have worn off. Do you remember where you were when you became dizzy?"

"I was in the shower. And I felt something burn my neck, and I thought it was the hot water, but it must have been the poison."

"Yes, of course! The window. They must have opened the window and shot your neck. I can't believe I missed that. I need to examine it." He said as he abruptly got up. He pulled his arm away, and my head clunked the back of the headboard.

"Ouch!"

"Oh, right. I'm sorry." He said as he put his arm underneath me again.

"No, go investigate. I'll be fine." I said as I reached for the cup of water. I gripped the glass, but when I tried to lift it, my hand cramped, and the water tipped. Sherlock caught it right before it spilled.

"I think I'm needed here right now." He said as he brought the glass to my lips. I gratefully took it, but I struggled to swallow it. It burned as it went down my sore throat. When I was done, he put the glass down he pulled the blanket I kicked off, back over me.

"No, I'm hot. I don't want the blanket."

"You need it. You'll get worse if you get cold. Well, that's what John said anyway." He said, as he brought the blanket up to my chin. I wanted to thrash it off again, but I stayed still.

"Sherlock, when will all this go away?"

"John said as soon as your fever goes down, you'll get better."

"Ok. Anymore side affects I should be worried about?"

"No, I think you've made it through the worst of the poison. Now take a few more sips of water, and rest."

I drank the water, and closed my eyes. Sherlock gently removed his arm from my back, but I grabbed his hand before he pulled away. I clumsily intertwined my fingers into his (as a joke). I expected him to break away from my loose grip, but he held my hand tightly as I drifted off to sleep.


	9. The Blank Paper

The Blank Paper

I woke up the next day with a minor headache, and an aching body. My eyesight was restored though, so I cracked my eyes open, and looked around. My room was completely dark, but I saw a crack of light filtering in through the door. I gingerly got to my feet, and slowly walked to the threshold. I was lucky the door was ajar, because my loose grip wouldn't have allowed me to open it by myself.

I stepped out into the living room, and I saw John siting with his newspaper and tea. He shot straight up when he saw me, and ran over.

"What are you doing out of bed? You'll catch a cold! It's raining for god's sake. Put a blanket over yourself. Is your fever down?" He said as he pressed his hand to my forehead.

"John, I feel fine. I swear, my headache is almost gone."

"That doesn't mean anything. Sit down and I'll get you tea and a blanket." He said as he gently pushed me down into the sofa. I groaned when my neck hit the back of the sofa. It was still sore.

"John, please let me walk around. I'm aching from lying in bed for two days." I said as I got to my feet again.

"Fine, but stay near me incase you get dizzy again."

I made my way over to him, and hovered close while he made my tea.

"Would you like lemon?"

"Yes please." I said as he pulled one from the fridge. He pulled out a juicer, but all of Sherlock's papers were in the way.

"Emily? Would you mind moving his papers? I don't want them getting ruined. He'll kill the both of us."

I nodded, and moved what I could away from the juicer. John pressed the lemon down, and some of the juice splattered on the papers that were beneath it.

"Shoot! I'll go dry these before he gets back." I said, grabbing the papers and fleeing to the bathroom. I quickly turned on the hairdryer and spread out the papers. Most of the papers were from previous cases that he had already solved. But he had notes scribbled on a folder that was new to me. It was the most wet, so I focused the hairdryer on it. I carefully pulled open the folder to avoid smudging his notes.

In the beginning of the folder, there was the picture of the dead mans body with my address engraved into his chest, and beneath it was the blank piece of paper. I picked up both of them with my fingernails. I didn't want the evidence to be ruined. The picture was easier to dry since the juice just slid off the glossy finish. I set it down, and picked up the blank sheet of paper. I put the hairdryer to it, and held it to the light so I could see where it was wet.

As I dried it, I began seeing numbers. I thought it was a figment of my imagination, but the longer I held the heat to it, the more visible it became. It read June 16, 2013. It was the day I got poisoned.

"John!" I yelled. He came in right away.

'Yes, what's the matter?"

I held the paper to him.

'Look. This is the blank paper that was in my room."

He held the paper to the light and his face changed when he saw it.

"That was the day you were poisoned." He said, as he examined it. "We need to tell Sherlock." He took out his phone and dialed him. "Sherlock? No, this is important, there's a message on the back of the blank piece of paper. Yes… it was the date she was poisoned. I thi- Oh, he hung up on me. I trust he'll be here soon. In the meantime, stay away from all windows, and don't answer the door."

I nodded and sat in the kitchen, where I was out of sight.

A little while later, Sherlock came to the door. John let him in, and double locked the door behind him. Sherlock immediately went up to me, and kneeled down so he was at my height. He pressed his fingers to my neck.

"Emily, how do you feel?" He asked as he measured my heart rate.

"Um, fine I guess."

"Can you walk?"

"Yes."

"Run?"

"I can try."

"No, I don't want her to over exert herself. The poison is barley out of her system. What is going on Sherlock?" John said as he protectively stood over me.

"Our whole apartment is surrounded by people wearing black jackets. I'm assuming they all have guns, and if they don't see that Emily was successfully killed by the poison, they will finish the job."

"She's not leaving, Sherlock. She'll die if she's exposed to the cold or the rain for too long."

"We have no other choice, John! We either take our chances and run, or we show them that she's dead. Which would you rather John?" Sherlock said, standing up to face him. The two men glared at each other for some time before I spoke up.

"Jim." I said quietly. "We have Jim."


	10. Diversion

Diversion

"Are you out of your mind!?" Sherlock yelled. "He's a worthless man, and we hate each other. He won't help."

"But Sherlock, he likes me. I'm sure he'll help me out. Just let me ask!"

"No. Absolutely not."

I sighed, and looked to John for help. "John, tell him that Jim is our only hope."

John took a moment, and thought about it.

"Yes, Sherlock. I believe Emily is right. Jim has more connections than you, and he may be able to find out who's behind all this. I think we should give it a try."

"Damn it John, I can figure this out myself! I don't need that pompous, ignorant, larvae coming into my cases. He needs to stay out of my life."

"But Sherlock, this isn't exactly your life we're talking about. It's Emily's life, and we promised to keep her safe, even if that means bringing Moriarty into it." John said, as he slipped Jim's number to me behind his back. Sherlock had a scowl on his face, but he didn't argue anymore.

"Fine. But I'm not speaking to him." He said as he stormed off to the bedroom.

"Good, now that the baby is done with his tantrum, let's get Jim on the phone." John said as he leaned over me. I let out a giggle, and dialed Jim's number. He picked up right away.

"Miss Emily I presume?"

"Yes, It is Emily. How did you know?"

"I have caller ID, and Sherlock would never actually call me. So I assumed it was you. Do you need anything?"

"Yes, actually. Remember that guy in the black coat?"

"Of course. Is he back?"

"Yea, and it looks like he multiplied. There's about ten of them surrounding Sherlock's apartment. They want me dead. Do you think you could help?"

"Yes. I will defiantly help, I'll have a diversion, and a taxi for you, in about 12 to 15 minutes. Sometimes the app takes a while to load. See you soon Emily!" He said right before the phone clicked off.

"Ok, he's on his way." I said to John.

"Right, then let's get you bundled up, and I want you near me or Sherlock at all times. You are not to even touch Jim. Do you understand?"

"Yes dad, whatever you say." I said sarcastically. But John didn't find it funny. He sat down in a chair next to me, and held my hand.

"Listen Emily, I know I'm being overprotective, but you don't know Jim. He may be helping, but he always has an alternative motive. I just want you to be safe, and putting you at the mercy of Jim is not safe at all. Believe me, I'm just as upset as Sherlock is. If there was a better option, I would have taken it." He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. "But this is what we have to work with. Now put on some warm clothes while I try to calm Sherlock down." He said as he winked at me. I went into my bag and pulled out the warmest clothes I had, which weren't that warm. I went to the kitchen to wait for John and Sherlock.

John walked out first, followed by a seething Sherlock. But as soon as they saw my thin shirt, they both went mad.

"Emily, I told you to wear something warm." John said, walking up to me.

"This is all I have, John. I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm going straight to the taxi anyway." I said as I went for the door.

Sherlock stepped in front of me and handed me his coat.

"Here, wear mine. It's warm."

I took it, and slipped into it. John came up to me and buttoned the coat up, all the way to my neck.

"Much better. Ok, are we ready to go?" John asked, putting his own jacket on. Sherlock nodded, and threw a pistol to John.

"It's loaded, no safety lock. If Jim touches her, blow his brains out." Sherlock said as he opened up the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked as I walked up to him.

"Didn't Jim tell you? I'm the diversion." He winked at me, and went out the door. I turned to John.

"What does he think he's doing? He could get killed!" I said as I ran to the window. John quickly pulled me back.

"Emily, you are not to be seen. Stay back. I'll tell you what's happening." He said as he moved me away from the window. I nodded and pressed my back against the wall as John opened the window. I heard gunshots, and jumped to my feet.

"Is he ok?" I said, standing behind John.

"Yes, he was the one who fired. He's killed some of them, but the rest are following him down the street. And a taxi just pulled up." John turned to me and looked me in the eye. "Are you ready?"

"Let's do it." I said. And we sprinted down to the awaiting taxi.


	11. Mansions and Mayhem

The taxi doors opened right away, and a big man stood near the car until we were safely inside. While the driver sped off, I looked around to see if I could get a glimpse of Sherlock. John noticed me peering out the window, and pulled me into him.

"He'll be fine Emily. He's Sherlock Holmes. If he didn't know what he was doing, he wouldn't have taken that risk."

I nodded and rested my head on John's shoulder. I wrapped Sherlock's coat tighter around me and closed my eyes until the taxi came to a stop. John nudged me, and helped me out of the car.

We were let off in front of huge black gates. They slowly swung open as John and I approached. As we went through the gates, a butler met us. He led us up stone stairs and brought us to a gigantic door that was connected to a mansion. John raised a hand up to knock, but they door opened on its own. John and I walked in, and saw Jim coming towards us.

"Hello my friends! How are you, my darling Emily?" Jim said as he strode towards us.

"I'm alright, thanks. And by the way, your house is beautiful." I said, admiring the vaulted ceilings and ancient tapestries.

"Thank you! It's been passed down through generations. Now, how about I get you and John some tea. I make an excellent brew every time." He said as he walked down a marble hallway. The butler came up to us, and led us to a living room. It was furnished with plush sofas, and a gigantic fireplace. He gestured for us to sit. I sat down on a plush chair while john sat on a sofa near the fireplace. He glanced over at me and gave me the 'im the doctor' look, so I got up and sat next to him. He pulled me closer to him, and rested his chin on my head.

"How are you feeling, Emily?"

"I'm really warm." I said, as I tried to wiggle out of Sherlock's coat. But John wrapped his arms around me, and I couldn't move.

"No, you leave the jacket on. I don't want you to get worse."

I sighed, but I left the jacket on. The butler came back in with Jim, and they set the tea down for us.

"I hope you'll like it!" Jim said as he took his cup and sat down across from us. "Now, we wait for Sherly."

"Where did he go exactly?" I asked, starting to get worried.

" Well, I told him to get the men to chase him, and that a few blacks down there would be a taxi for him. But I told the taxi to leave if Sherlock couldn't lose all the men."

"What!?" I shouted.

"Emily, It had to be done that way. If those men were to track the car, they would come straight here, to you. And we don't want that. I'm sure Sherlock got to the taxi. Although, he should have been here by now…" Jim said as he glanced at his watch.

I felt tears sting in my eyes, and I tried to hold them back. I got up, and ran to another room before I let them spill out. I didn't want Sherlock to get hurt because of me.

I heard footsteps approaching towards me, but I kept my head down. I didn't want John or Jim to see me cry.

"Emily? Emily why are you crying? What happened? It was Jim wasn't it, the bastard." Said a familiar deep voice.

I shot my head up, and I was looking Sherlock straight in the eye.

"Sherlock!" I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Wow, that was unexpected." He said as he hesitantly hugged me back. "Is everything ok?"

"Yea, I just thought…"

"That I was dead?"

"Yes. Exactly." I said, still clinging to him.

Sherlock smiled at me, and wiped the rest of my tears away with his thumb. "It takes a lot to kill me, Emily. But I appreciate the concern. Now where's that scumbag? I need a word with him."

"He's in the living room with John. I'll show you." I said, finally releasing my grip on Sherlock. I walked him back through the hallway, and into the living room. Jim and John's heads snapped up when we entered.

"Damn, I was hoping you wouldn't get out alive. I wanted to have Miss Emily all to myself." Jim said, as he stood up.

"You'll never have her." Sherlock spat back.

I sighed and stepped in between them.

"Stop it, both of you! I don't belong to anyone. Now, can you two get along until people stop trying to kill me?"

"Hmmm, I love it when you get mad." Jim said, pulling my wrist and bringing me into him. I tried to twist away, but his grip was tight.

"Jim, knock it off!" I said, finally breaking away. I went back towards Sherlock who looked like he was ready to kill.

"You know, you're only turning me on more Emily." Jim said, with a sick smile on his face.

I scoffed, and I heard the cock of a gun. Sherlock raised his pistol to Jim's head.

"Sherlock! Put the gun down." I said, trying to pull his arm down.

"Yes Sherlock, put the gun down. Your precious Emily will be very upset if you blow my brains out." Jim said, taking a sip of tea. Sherlock looked down at me, and sighed. He lowered his gun, and went to the far side of the room and sat on a sofa.

I went back to John, who immediately scolded me for walking in the mansion alone. I actually enjoyed the lecture, since I was having my doubts about Jim. When he was done, I pecked him on the cheek.

"Thank you John." I said, smiling. He looked confused, but smiled back. I leaned into him and closed my eyes while Sherlock and Jim bickered about what to do next.


	12. Plans

Plans

I woke up a while later, still wrapped in John's arms. The only sound was John's breathing, and the crackling of the fire. I careened my neck around, and saw that Jim and Sherlock were both gone. I shook John awake.

"John, where'd Sherlock and Jim go?"

"They went in the other room. But they aren't fighting. Once they saw you with me, they shut up about 'owning' you." He said, giving me a smile. I gave a shy smile back, and got up to check on Sherlock and Jim. John followed close behind me, and his hand grazed the small of my back as I walked.

We came to the room, which had a large marble table in it that separated Jim and Sherlock. They stood across from each other, and were talking about plans when John and I entered.

"Good afternoon, my princess. Did you have a nice nap?" Jim asked, giving me a cheesy smile.

"Yes, it was fine." I said back with a glare. "What's going on?" I demanded, walking up to Sherlock's side of the table.

"Well, a little bird told me that the man who wants to kill you, knows that you're here. He has his men watching my house now. No thanks to Sherlock." Jim said, glancing at Sherlock. "So, you need to leave."

"What? But I'll never make it! They'll kill me!" I declared, looking at John for help.

"Don't be so dramatic, princess. They won't kill you here. Not with so many witnesses. They want you alone, and that's exactly what they'll get." Jim said as he grabbed more tea.

"You're just going to let them kill me!?"

"Oh no darling! I would never do that to such a beautiful woman. We're going to let them think that they can kill you. You'll lead them away from my precious mansion, and into a deserted warehouse. They'll think that you got lost, and try to kill you, but my men and I will beat them to it! You'll be perfectly fine!" Jim exclaimed.

"Absolutely not! They are so many things that could go wrong with this." John chimed in.

"Oh, stop it John. The worst that could happen is that she dies. We'll all get over it after a few sessions of grief therapy. It'll be fine!" Jim said, as he downed another cup of tea.

"Jim, this is in-"

"John, shut up." Sherlock said sharply. "Jim is right, Emily will be fine. I'll be following close behind her. I won't let anything happen." Sherlock said, turning to me.

"Sherlock, this isn't a game! This is someone's life we're talking about. What if they attack her before she reaches the warehouse? You won't be able to take them all. She'll die!" John said.

Sherlock was silent for a moment before he spoke up.

"Jim, get your men at the warehouse. Emily, get ready to walk a few miles. And John, say your goodbyes."

Sherlock briskly walked away with Jim, and left John and I speechless.

"I can't believe… I…" I was speechless. I couldn't understand why Sherlock would agree to this. John was right; they could attack me whenever they want. I felt tears welling up, and panic constricting me.

"Emily…" John said, bringing his hands to my face. "Emily, please don't cry. Sherlock will be with you. He knows what he's doing. I don't like the danger that he's putting you in, but I trust him. And I'll make sure I'm with Jim. I'll watch everything that he does. I promise." He said as he kissed my forehead. I slowly nodded, and pulled John closer to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back as if we'd never see each other again. His kiss cleared my mind, and numbed the panic. But It ended when I was violently jerked away by Sherlock. He took me by my arm, and dragged me out into the pouring rain. I turned back to John who saw the pain in my eyes.

"You'll be ok, Emily." John said, tearing up. Jim shut the doors behind us, and left Sherlock and I to fend on our own. I quickly pulled my arm away from Sherlock, and walked ahead. I was ready to head towards the warehouse.

"Emily, what do you think you're doing?" Sherlock asked as he came beside me.

"I'm walking to the warehouse, like I was told. And shouldn't you be 10 yards behind me?" I asked, stepping up my pace. Sherlock walked in perfect stride next to me.

"Emily, don't be stupid." He said, pulling my arm. "I'm not leaving you alone until you calm down."

"Yea, because I'm going to be calm when there are twenty men with guns pointed at us. I'm as calm as I'm gonna get."

"I'm here. Nothing is going to happen. You'll be back with John before you know it. That's all you care about anyways." He said, releasing his grip.

"You are so stupid sometimes." I said, glaring at him.

"Me? Stupid? You must be joking."

"No, you are stupid. You think that I only care about John and myself. But you don't realize how much I care about you. I don't care if I die. Let this man kill me. But I don't want you or John to get hurt because of me."

I turned away from him and jogged ahead before he could say anything. I put a good distance between us, and when I turned around, he was gone. I let out a sigh of relief, and continued for the warehouse.


	13. The Price at the Warehouse

The Price at the Warehouse

For the rest of the walk towards the warehouse, I was left alone. Neither Sherlock, nor the men trying to kill me, came within seeing distance. But I knew they were all there.

As I got closer to the warehouse, the population got scarcer. When I turned down the final street that was on the map Jim stuffed in my pocket, there were no cars or people in sight. The warehouse was all the way down the street. It loomed over the other dilapidated buildings, and sent off a freaky vibe. I got a chill down my spine, but I continued towards it.

I reached for the rusty doors of the building, and gripped the handles. I took a deep breath before I yanked them open. Inside the warehouse, there was a sliver of light that pierced through a broken window. It illuminated the floor, which was covered in scraps of metal. There were thick chains hanging from the ceiling, and a conveyor belt that went in a circle. I picked up a sharp piece of metal, and stood in the middle of the warehouse to wait for my attackers. The front door creaked open a minute later. I tensed, and waited for them to get into throwing range. The man stepped into the light, and I relaxed when I saw it was Sherlock. He walked towards me at a briskly.

"Emily, there's something wrong. No one was following you here. In fact, I didn't even see anyone around Jim's home. It's a trap. We need to leave." He said, taking my wrist.

"Well done Sherlock." Came a voice from the darkness. "I'm surprised you figured it out. Jim always did talk highly of your skills."

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Sherlock demanded, as he pushed me behind him and pulled his gun out.

"You don't recognize me? Oh, right. Because I never talked when you were around." A man wearing a black cloak stepped into the light, and took his hood off. "Do you see me now Sherlock?"

Before us stood Jim's butler, and he pulled out a gun from his cloak. He held it up to us.

"Now I'll make this simple. Hand over Emily, and I'll give you John and Jim back." He said, coming closer.

"What if I don't?" Sherlock said, as he positioned himself in front of me.

"Well, then I kill all four of you. You have ten seconds Sherlock. I don't have all day."

"Why do you want to kill her?" Sherlock asked, his gun still pointed.

"Oh, I thought you'd know! Once I found out she was working to figure out my 'blank paper' scheme, I had to get rid of her at once. You see, anyone who got close to figuring out my murders either got killed, or paid off."

"So why not just pay us off? We won't say a thing."

"I'm not dumb Sherlock. I'm much smarter than you and Jim combined. I need to leave a trail. The more people I kill, the more people I get to kill. In fact, Emily's body will show the exact time and place that I will strike again. You should be proud. Now step aside." He said, cocking his gun.

"Never, you sick bastard." Sherlock snarled. He jumped out at the butler, and tackled him to the ground. "Run, Emily!" He yelled. I snapped out of my petrified state, and ran for the door. I grasped the rusty handle, and yanked it open. I was about to sprint out when I heard a gunshot. I stopped, and I was afraid to see if it was Sherlock who was shot. Another gunshot went off, and I went to my knees in agony. A sharp pain was in my right shoulder, and I slowly brought my hand up to touch it. My hand came back bright red. I looked down and blood was dripping to the metal floor.

"Emily!" Sherlock screamed. I heard more gunshots as I crumbled to the floor. I felt warm hands wrap around my body, and I was lifted. My eyes flicked open to see Sherlock holding me to his chest. He was running, and I couldn't tell if he was crying, or if it was raining heavily. I took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. My eyes shut, and my body went numb.


	14. Goodbyes

I woke up the next morning in a hospital room. Wires were strapped to me, and I lost feeling in my right shoulder. When I glanced down at it I saw that it was bandaged up. An IV was lodged in my left arm, but I quickly looked away before the needle made me woozy. A door opened from behind me, and I turned to see who it was.

"Hello, Emily." Sherlock said, coming up to my bed and sitting in a chair beside me. "How do you feel?" He asked as he took my hand.

"Very numb. What happened?"

Sherlock studied me before he answered.

"You were shot twice in your shoulder." He said as he looked down at my hand. "And… and your heart stopped."

I nodded slowly. I already had a feeling that had happened. I faintly remembered being revived. I glanced back up at Sherlock and saw his eyes tearing up. I brought my hand to his face and pulled him closer.

"Sherlock… what's wrong? I'm ok. I'm alive." I said, trying to cheer him up. He took my hand and pressed it to his lips.

"My dear Emily…" He said as the first tear rolled down his face. "I'm so sorry for everything. I should have known there was something wrong. It's my fault Emily. It's all my fault."

"No Sherlock. It's not your fault. It's ok now. Everything's alright." I said as I cupped his face in my hand.

"No, it's not alright. Emily, as long as you're near me, people will try to kill you. I have hundreds of enemies that will try to hurt me in the worst way possible way, which is to hurt the people I love." He said as more tears fell on my hand. "I need to stay away from you."

I was quiet as I let his last sentence sink in. His words echoed in my heart, and burned through my soul. He couldn't leave me.

"Sherlock, we'll work it out. I don't want you to leave. Don't be ridiculous." I said as I felt my eyes start to sting.

"Listen Emily. I need to go. I love you too much to hurt you anymore. Stay with John, he loves you just as much as I do, but he'll take better care of you."

"No! Sherlock!" I screamed, as I grabbed his jacket and sobbed into it. "Please don't leave."

He held me to him as my breathing quickened. I heard my heart rate start to beep on the monitor, and my sobbing became worse.

"Emily, please… calm down. You're working yourself up." He said as he brushed hair from my face. I tried to calm down, but my heart rate was high. Sherlock gently pressed my upper body back down against the bed, and called the nurses for assistance. They pumped me with morphine for my pain, and to slow my heart. When they left, Sherlock leaned down next to me and whispered in my ear.

"Emily… I want you to forget about me. Forget we ever met. I want you to be happy with John. I don't want to get in the way. Just remember that I'll always be protecting you from a distance." He kissed my forehead, and squeezed my hand. "Goodbye, Emily Minnick." I heard him walk out of the room, and I tried to call him back, but the morphine took effect, and I went out.


	15. Baby Names and Addictions

"Emily? Are you awake yet?" John whispered from beside me. I cracked my eyes open and rolled on my side to face him.

"Yea, barely." I said, yawning.

"How do you feel?" He asked, wrapping his arm around me.

"A little better, but I still can't feel my shoulder." I said as I let him pull me into his bare chest.

"It'll get better sweetie." He said kissing the top of my head. "How about some eggs for breakfast? I'll put extra cheese on top."

I smiled and tilted my head up to kiss him. "Sounds good."

He got up, and headed for the kitchen. I stayed in the bed and worked on some shoulder exercises the doctor had given me.

Ever since I was discharged from the hospital, John had been treating me like a princess. He became a little bit over protective, but I didn't mind. He never left me by myself either. Sometimes when I was in the apartment by myself, I would start thinking about Sherlock, and I would go into a severe panic attack. I never told John what caused the attacks, but I think he had a good idea.

John would try to distract me all the time too. He would take me out to dinner, or the movies. Sometimes we'd go on small trips to Scotland, and France to get out of town for a bit. And the distractions worked for a few months. But once my doctor took me off of my pain medication, all my emotional pain flooded back like a tsunami. I faked being happy for John's sake, but my heart hurt everyday.

"Emily? Breakfast is done! Should I bring it to you?" John called from the kitchen.

"No, I'll come out." I said, grabbing a robe and heading to the kitchen. John laid the food out on the table, and sat down beside me with tea.

"So, I wanted to tell you… Moriarty has a case he wants my help on. I'm thinking about taking the offer, if that's ok with you?" He asked, picking up a newspaper.

I thought about it for a moment. After the incident with Jim's butler, I was leery of Jim, but he assured both John, and me that he had nothing to do with the murder scheme. It put me at ease, but I still wanted nothing to do with him.

"That's fine, but be careful. I still don't trust him." I said as I took a bite of eggs.

John smiled and lightly traced my spine with his fingertips. "You have nothing to worry about sweetie. I'm taking backup. And Mrs. Hudson will be watching you while I'm gone."

"Ok. When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow. And I should be back the next day. So, before I leave, I thought that we could take a look at some homes that are for sale? There's one that's right near a beautiful forest."

I smiled at him. "Yes, that sounds fun!" I said, eating the last of my eggs.

"Alright. Go get ready, and we'll take a drive down." He said, taking my plate from me. "And Emily? You look radiant today." He said, winking. I let out a laugh and went to get changed.

When we got done with the tour of the house, John treated me to a fancy dinner. He ordered wine for the two of us, and told me to order anything I wanted. Once we put our orders in, he took my hands, and looked me in the eyes.

"Emily, darling. I've been thinking about something. That house we looked at is huge. 6 bedrooms! And there's so much space in the backyard and…" He stroked my hands, and leaned in closer. "And I was wondering if maybe… maybe you want to have children?"

I froze. I could feel my skin turn to ice under Johns warm hands. I never even thought about having children before, but the thought of some tiny creature living inside of me freaked me out. But I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I put on the brightest smile I could.

"Yea, John. That… that sounds great!" I said, pulling my hands away from him.

"Really? I… I can't believe it! I was thinking Jasper for the boy. Well, if we had a boy. But if it's a girl, you should pick the girls name… I mean, you should pick the name anyway." He said, beaming.

"Right, yea. No, Jasper sounds wonderful! Jasper Watson… I love it." I said as I downed a glass of wine.

"Fantastic! You've just made me the happiest man in London! Oh Emily, I love you so much!" He said, leaning across the table to kiss me. I smiled, and poured myself another glass of wine as he continued about baby names, and what kind of colors the walls should be in the baby rooms.

I woke up the following morning with a horrible headache. There was a note next to me in John's handwriting.

_Emily,_

_Good morning sweetie! I think you had too much wine last night… _

_Anyways, I left at about 7:45. I'll be back tomorrow evening. Call if you need anything. _

_Xoxo John_

I smiled, and tossed the note to the side. I slowly got up, and began my day. I went to the kitchen to make Peppermint tea to clear my mind. There was a new box stuffed in the back corner of the cupboard. I pulled it out, and opened it up. There was a note crumpled up inside.

_Emily…_

_I notice that you like Peppermint Tea. John suggested I buy you a 'moving in' gift. Hope you like it._

_Sherlock_

After I read it I sank to my knees. It was dated the day I moved in. And that whole time I thought he hated me. I pressed my back to the wall and sobbed quietly. I clutched the note to my chest, and tried to calm down before I went into a full on attack. Mrs. Hudson wouldn't know what to do if I started crying hysterically, so I bit my lip, and tried to go about my day.

I stuffed the tea out of sight, but I couldn't bring myself to discard the note. I held it tightly in my left hand as I turned the TV on to distract myself. But everything I saw just made me think about Sherlock. I powered the TV off, and went out to get fresh air. A walk could do me good. I told Mrs. Hudson that I was heading out. She nodded and told me to be safe.

As I walked around London, I became worse and worse. I saw places that reminded me of Sherlock, or places I had been with him before he left. Each time I saw something, my heart felt as If it was being wrenched out of my body. I eventually came across a hospital, and decided to rest near it. If I did have an attack, at least I could get quick medical assistance. I pressed my back against the cold brick wall and pulled out Sherlock's note. I re-read it time, and time again before I finally lost my cool. I started to scream. I didn't care who could hear me, or what they would say. I screamed at the top of my lungs. Hot tears rolled down my face, and my breathing became dangerously rapid. Through my blurred vision, I saw people give me looks. And others ran into the hospital. A nurse ran out and got me to my feet. She took me inside, and escorted me to a back room.

"What's your name, miss?" She asked as she sat me down.

I looked at her, but I didn't say a thing.

"I said, what's your name. Can you hear me?" She asked, raising her voice.

"Yes, I can hear you." I said angrily through tears.

"Why are you crying? Are you heart?"

I kept my mouth shut again because she wouldn't understand a broken heart.

"I said, Why are you crying?"

"Just give me morphine." I said, wiping my eyes. She looked at me funny before she walked out of the room. She came back a second later, and stood out side my door with someone.

"She says she wants morphine. And she won't give me her name. I'm thinking it's a drug deal." My nurse said loudly. The other person said something that I couldn't make out, and my nurse bustled back in. "There's a doctor here to see you. He's gonna tell me what's going on with you so I can help. Ok?" She said, treating me like I was a little girl. She waited for an answer but I kept quiet. She rolled her eyes, and told the doctor to come in. I put my head down and stared at my note while he walked in.

"Here she is. Have fun." She said. She closed the door behind her. His shoes clicked on the floor as he approached me, and he stopped right in front of me. He slowly extended a hand, and grasped the note from me. I let him, sense it was just causing me more pain.

"Emily?" The doctor said. He put a hand under my chin and lifted my face up. I opened my teary eyes and I thought I was looking straight at Sherlock. I quickly turned the other way before I started to cry again. "Emily." He said again, standing closer to me. "Emily Minnick, look at me for god's sake." He said, as he grasped my head in his hands. I did, and I kept seeing Sherlock. I was going crazy. He even sounded like Sherlock. "Emily, what's going on? Why are you acting like this?" He said, looking me in the eye. At that point, I figured I was having extreme hallucinations so I slapped myself before I answered.

"A broken heart, doctor. Just give me morphine and I'll calm down. Honestly. I'm not a drug dealer." I said, hanging my head down.

"What the hell did John do to you?" He said angrily.

"Nothing Doc… wait, how do you know John? Did you used to work with him or something?"

"Don't you recognize me? Emily, It's me, Sherlock! Stop messing around and tell me what happened!"

"No, you can't be Sherlock." I said bewildered. "He left. He's gone. He's never coming back."

"Emily, it's me. I'm right here, please believe me." He said with longing in his eyes. He did have all of Sherlock's looks, even his bluish eyes. If this wasn't really Sherlock, It made a damn good convincing one, and his touch put me at ease.

"Fine. If you are really Sherlock… kiss me." I said as I put a hand on his broad shoulder.

"Fine." He said after a long pause. He put a hand on my neck, and dipped me back. He brought his lips to mine, and kissed me passionately. I felt my heart flutter as he deepened the kiss. I didn't want him to stop but he pulled away when there was a knock on the door.

"How's it going, Holmes? It's taking you an awful long time to figure her out. Are you ok?" the nurse said.

Sherlock cleared his throat, and looked at me.

"Yes, I've got this one. I'll take her back home." He said, his eyes fixed on me.


	16. The Truth

The Truth

I studied him as I sipped my peppermint tea. He looked the same, but I could tell he was worn. His eyes were slightly red, and I could see the nicotine patches hidden under his shirtsleeve. He caught me staring at him, and he quickly straightened himself.

"So, erm. What have you been up to recently… with John." He said, looking nervous.

"Well, we've gone on some trips… looked at a few houses on the country side, and…" I turned beat red. "And he wants to have a baby." I said, not meeting his eyes.

He was quiet for a minute while he processed what I said. I could feel the tension rising in the room.

"He wants a baby." Sherlock said finally.

"Yes. He wants to have… a baby." I said, trying to swallow that sentence.

"But you don't." He said, sitting straighter in his chair. "Did you tell him that?"

"Of course I want to have a baby, Sherlock. John has been there for me, and the least I can do is give him a child." I said, looking away again.

"But you clearly can't stand the fact that a parasite would be feeding off of you for 9 months, and then you'd have to raise it with a man that you don't truly love." He said, staring me down.

"Who are you to say who I do and don't love?" I said, glaring at him.

"Because Emily, I know what you want. I can read you like a book. You don't want John. You want me."

"What! Why on earth would I want you? You left me. I needed you, but you were never there! John was there, he's kept me sane while you went and got a new job, and completely forgot about me!" I screamed, tears started to well up in my eyes.

"Forgot about you? Emily, there wasn't a second that went by that I wasn't thinking of you. In fact, I've been by here several times to check on you. But John never let me in. He told me that I hurt you enough, and I needed to keep my distance. So I stayed away because I thought you hated me." He said as he stood up and came closer to me.

I looked at him as he sat next to me. He hesitantly wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me closer to him.

"I had no idea… John never mentioned anything." I said, trying to choke back my tears.

"Emily, I'm so sorry that all of this happened. I thought being with John was a good thing for you, but I was wrong. I realize that I need you. I've never cared about anyone more than I care for you. And I can't let you go."

"Sherlock… I can't. I'm with John now. I promised him-"

"Children? You promised him something you don't want. You can't even tell the 'love of your life' that you hate kids. That doesn't sound like a healthy relationship."

I cracked a slight smile at that.

"Ok, I guess I should tell him that. But he won't be happy." I said, biting my lip.

"Exactly. But I will. I don't need children. I just need you." He said, staring at my lips.

I sadly shook my head, and tried to stand up, but he pulled me on top of him. He wrapped both arms around me and pressed me against his chest. He brought his lips inches from mine, and spoke in a growl.

"You can't tell me that this doesn't feel right… Emily." He closed the space between us, and kissed me.

I didn't want to admit it, but it did feel right. We were meant for each other, and I couldn't deny it any longer. I relaxed in his arms, and I kissed him back. When he realized I gave in, I could feel his lips curl into a smile. He pulled away, and kissed my neck as he talked.

"It's about… time… you admitted that you love me."

I let out a sigh, and tilted his head up to mine.

"Just kiss me, Sherlock."


	17. My Choice

"John…" I said shakily. "John, please don't be upset."

John walked into the apartment slowly, his eyes flashing between Sherlock and me.

"Why are you here?" he said, staring Sherlock down. "You know you hurt her. Don't you dare say that you want her back." He said with a snarl.

"John, I only wanted to protect her." Sherlock said, standing protectively beside me.

John glared at Sherlock again, and then looked at me.

"Emily. Come here now please. He'll only hurt you."

"N- no…" I said, looking John in the eyes.

"Emily, don't be silly. You know what he's done."

"John, I didn't cry because he hurt me. I cried because I needed him. And I appreciate that you took care of me-"

"More like kept you prisoner." Sherlock muttered beside me. I nudged him and continued.

"I appreciate that you took care of me, but Sherlock is here now, and I've decided to be with him."

John was silent for a moment, but then his eyes glazed over, and he started to tear up.

"So, so all that about starting a family, and… and getting a home. That was all crap, wasn't it? You were just using me!"

"No, no! Of course not John. You know that I care about you, but… but I'm not happy here. If I stayed with you, I would be upset. I can't pretend that I'm ok, John. Please, just let me go." I said, tearing up as well. I tried to approach him, but he pushed me away.

"C'mon Emily. Let's go." Sherlock said, pulling me away.

"But… but I need to-" I said, starting to cry.

"Emily… It's time to go."

He whisked me out of the apartment, and we caught a taxi back to his place.

The décor was much the same as in 221B. It was a little more cluttered with Sherlock's microscopes, and skeletons, but I felt more at ease with his stuff surrounding me. After I wiped away any stray tears, I flopped down his sofa, and sucked in a deep breath. Sherlock walked up behind me, and pressed his hands down on my shoulders.

"You did the right thing, Emily. Don't worry about John. He'll be ok once he realizes that you're happy, and safe with me."

"I hope so."

He gave my shoulders a light squeeze, and walked into his kitchen. He came back out a few minutes late with a steaming cup of Peppermint Tea. He handed it to me, and we sat on the sofa, watching the rain bead off the window.


	18. Questions

A year had gone by since Sherlock came back into my life. I had been able to get a permanent job working as a journalist in London while Sherlock continued his detective work.

John eventually forgave me for leaving him, and he moved on. He got a new girlfriend who loved the idea of having children. I was very happy for him, and I always wished him the best when I saw him.

I occasionally saw Jim Moriarty, but never without Sherlock near me. Neither of us fully trusted him. But he still hit on me whenever he could.

As for Sherlock and I, I thought things were going well. We never argued anymore, and Sherlock started to show his emotions to me more often. But he was still a mystery to me.

One day, when we both had the day off, he caught me completely by surprise.

"Emily. Are you awake?" Sherlock asked. His voice jolted me from my dream.

"Yea." I mumbled, rolling over. I looked up in his face, and I could tell there was something wrong. It was the same face he had when he left me in the hospital.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up.

"N-nothing. I just… erm…" He stuttered, I looked at his hands, and they were shaking. He was also sweating a little bit.

"Sherlock… are you ok? Talk to me." I said, wrapping my hands into his. He looked me in the eye, and shakily pulled away from me. He stood up, and went out to the kitchen. "Sherlock!" I yelled. I groggily got out of bed and followed him to the kitchen. He paced in front of the table, which had breakfast placed out on top of it. Now I was really worried… he never made breakfast. I ran up to him, and pulled on his jacket. "Sherlo-"

"Emily." He said suddenly, cutting me off. "My dearest Emily." He brought his shaky hands to cup my face, and he looked straight into my eyes. "I love you so much. In fact, you're the only person I've ever really loved." He paused as if trying to remember what to say next. "And… I… erm… I want to spend the rest of my life with… with you." He said, withdrawing his hands. He slowly got down to his knee, and pulled a white box from out of his outfit. He held it up to me with shaky hands, and he opened the box, which held a beautiful sliver ring with a sapphire sitting in the middle of it. I let out a gasp. "Emily Minnick… Will… will you do me the honor of… of becoming my bride?"

I didn't even have to think twice.

"Of course, Sherlock!" I said, jumping into him. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank god." He said, squeezing me back. "I thought you would say no."

"Why would I say no? You are perfect for me." I said, pressing my lips against his. He smiled, and kissed me back. He pulled away and slipped the ring on my finger.

"Breakfast, Mrs. Holmes?" He asked, as he pulled out a chair for me. I giddily slid into the chair, and started to fill my plate. Sherlock had made eggs, toast, and he spread a variety of fruit out as well.

"Sherlock… this is amazing! You're amazing! I'm… I'm so happy." I said, tears welling in my eyes.

"I'm glad you're happy." He said as he stretched his hand out to me across the table. "I hope I can keep you happy forever."


	19. A Brand New Game

The next morning, I woke up to Sherlock bustling around in the kitchen. When I walked out of the room, he looked up to me from his microscope.

"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?" He asked, moving the dials around on his machine.

"Yes, quite well." I said, coming up behind him and wrapping my arms around his neck. "What are you doing?" I asked, nuzzling my head against his shoulder.

"Hm, well, I'm waiting for you to get dressed. Unless you want to go to the wedding planner wearing one of my t-shirts." He said, giving my arm a squeeze.

"I completely forgot! Sorry!" I said, as I quickly ran back to the room to get dressed. I slipped on a tight blue dress, and put my hair into a loose braid. When I came out, Sherlock was already at the door with my coat. He helped me put it on, and we walked out of his apartment.

"What color will the bridesmaids be wearing?" The wedding planner asked, staring me down.

"Um, well… purple?" I said, trying to think about it.

"Ok, so grooms will have a purple flower then?" She asked, turning to Sherlock. He looked at me before responding.

"Erm, yes." He said slowly.

"And the venue?"

"Craigmiller Castle. Scotland." I blurted out. The wedding planner glanced at Sherlock and then me.

"You do realize that it will be a lot to rent that castle out." She said drowsily.

"Of course. We can pick something else. I just really love that castle." I said, sadly picking up a book of venues. Sherlock took the book out of my hands.

"No. We'll have it at Craigmiller." He said suddenly.

"But Sherlock-"

"No, Craigmiller. I have plenty of money to cover it." He said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

The wedding planner rolled her eyes, but scribbled it down anyway.

"Ok. Well, that's all for now. You'll be back in about a month to start the down payments on everything. We'll give you a planning kit to help you get started." She said, handing us a bag of folders and paperwork. "Have a nice day, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes."

We walked out of the office, and headed out for a bite to eat. We decided on the café next to 221B. Sherlock wanted to see John anyway. We sat down at a table, and ordered.

"Emily, I'm going to run upstairs really quick. I'll see if John is around for lunch." He said, standing up. "I'll be right back."

I nodded, and he left the café. My food arrived shortly after. While I ate, noticed a small piece of paper tucked underneath the plate. I slowly pulled it out, and unfolded it.

I felt my heart rate pound as I recognized the slip of paper. It was blank. I quickly took the lemon out of my water, and began squeezing it on the paper. A date appeared on the back… it was the date of my wedding. I held back my panic, and calmly scanned the café, but I didn't see anyone staring at me, or anyone that could be a suspect. I crunched it up in my hand, and patiently waited for Sherlock to come back.

"Sorry it took so long. Apparently John already had plans with his- Emily? What's wrong?" He asked, seeing the expression on my face.

"Sherlock… did you kill that Butler?" I asked in a whisper.

"Well, yes of course. I shot him twice in the head. He couldn't have survived that." He said grabbing my clenched hand. He took the paper from me, and his face turned white. "But… but that's impossible! He was dead! I made sure…"

"Sherlock, it's ok. Maybe it's a prank. Let's just go." I said, standing up. Sherlock stood up too, but he took off towards the kitchen. I saw him grab the waiter that served us. He slammed him against the wall, and put the paper up to his face.

"Who gave you this!" He yelled into his face. The waiter shook his head.

"I don't know! I was told to give it to the woman." He said, looking at me.

"Who told you!" Sherlock said again, pressing into the mans throat. The man struggled for words, but he finally managed.

"Adler." He said choking. "Irene Adler." Sherlock let go of the man and rushed me out of the café.

He wouldn't answer any of my questions on the way home. He was dead silent. When we entered the house, he took me to the bedroom, and locked every door on the way in. He sat me on the bed, and paced in front of the bedroom door.

"Sherlock, explain. What is going on?" I said, tugging on his shirt.

"Emily, the butler was the least of our worries. I believe we've just entered a game. A horrible, horrible game."


End file.
